Fender for ships.



M. KuNlK. FENDER FOR SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2.1914.

1,156,0'86. l Patented 001. 12, 1915.

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CULUMBIA PLANDORAPH co.. WASHINGTON. DY C.

NI. KUNIK.

FENDER FOR SHIPS.

APPLICATION man DEc.2,1914.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

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MICH-.AEL KNIK, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FENDER ron SHIPS.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Application ined December 2, lele. serial No. 875,090.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL KUN'IK, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements v in Fenders for Ships, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to safety devices for water craft, and particularly to the class of fenders for ships, boats and the like.

An object of the invention is the provision of a fender that will eliminate or lessen the destruction to a ship or boat or the like, due to collision with another vessel, or any other object.

To this end and purpose my invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly brought out in the claims.

In the illustrations Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention as applied to a bow of a ship and Fig. 2 a side elevation of same.

Like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, I provide a plurality of compressed air cylinders 1, 1b, 1 and 1d arranged in pairs symmetrically about the center line X-X of the vessel.

Each cylinder end is provided with neck 1f and solid ball 1f supported and arranged to operate within the member 2 as in a ball and socket joint. The member 2 is securely riveted t0 the ships hull B.

Each cylinder is provided with a piston 1g and piston rod 1h at the end of which are perpendicularly disposed rams 4 pivotally mounted at 4a and held normally with the sharp end forward by means of the spring 5, bars 6 and arms 7 secured at 4C.

Attached. preferably above the water line, is a plurality of members or feelers 8 with rollers 8a and 8b, arranged to engage the approaching object and thereby rotate the vertical rams 4 so that the fiat side 4b engages said object.

Each pair of piston rods 1h is pivotally connected at 9a with a horizontal ram 9, and each pair of cylinders is held in a fixed, spaced relation by means of a connecting rod 3, pivotally mounted at 3a and arranged for horizontal movement through the loose washers 3b and horizontally elongated openings 10 in the bow of the ship. A pair of heavy coil springs 3 arranged between the washers 3b and fixed collars 3d, tend to retain each of cylinders in parallel alinement with the center line XmX of the ship and also act as shock absorbers in case of sideJ collision, as shown dotted in Fig. 1.

The ball and socket joint mentioned permits side movement of the cylinders within the angle A and in such movement compresses one of the coil springs 3c.

For purposes of charging the cylinders with air and testing same at frequent intervals I provide a one-way exhaust valve 12 through which the air escapes as the piston moves forward to position shown on drawings.

Air is supplied from a pump or other means through pipe 13 in the air chamber 14 which is equipped with a pressure gage 15. The valves 1621612 16c and 16d successively and alternately admit the air into their respective cylinders through the pipes 17, 17h, 17 and 17d. A flexible pipe 18 is provided to accommodate the movement of cylinders within angle A.

When a cylinder is filled with compressed air to the required pressure indicated at the gage 15 the valve 19 is first closed and then the respective valve 16a. 16", 16c or 16d.

In a straight line collision with an object engaging the ram 9 or feelers 8 and vertical rams 4: all of said pistons 1g would compress the air within the cylinders which would.

act as a. cushion and absorb the shock, while in any side collision which would tend to move the cylinders in the angle A both cylinders and the coilV spring 3c may absorb the shock or the coil spring 3 alone, depending on the angle in which the collision occurred.

It is thought that the foregoing description of construction and operation will be clearly understood, therefore, a more extended explanation is omitted.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination in a fender for ships, of a plurality of pivotally mounted air cylinders, rams, and means for supporting said cylinders.

2. The combination in a fender for ships, of a plurality of pivotally mounted air cylinders, horizontal and vertical rams and means for supporting said cylinders.

3. The combination in a fender for ships, of'a plurality of pivotally mounted, pairs of air cylinders, horizontal and vertical rams attached thereto and means for supporting said cylinders to permit horizontal movement.

4. The combination in a fender for ships, of a plurality of pivotally mounted pairs of air cylinders, horizontal and vertical ramsl and resilient means for retaining said cylinders in parallel alinement with the center vertically and horizontally with rams, means for supporting said cylinders arranged to 15 permit horizontal angular movement of said lCylinders and resilient means arranged to retain said cylinders in parallel alinement with the longitudinal center line of the ship.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature 20 in presence of -tWo Witnesses.

MICHAEL KNIK.

Vitnesses: f

LOUISE HENNnssY, JOHN BELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. I

Washington, D. C. 

